. >> reporter: and if we do get hit, 20 extraordinary hinge- type beams absorb the energy of the quake. they may get damaged but the adjoining bridge segments should survive. >> it is first time anyone in the world has used this. >> reporter: it appears the bumpers and beams won't eliminate quake damage but the beams should be usable after a big one. >> you may not be going 70 miles per hour talking on your cell phone, but the bridge, you will be able to drive across it. that is the goal. >> reporter: don't forget, by the way, that the point of this -- you think it is a new bridge. it is not a new bridge. this whole thing is a seismic retro fit project. the point is not that all of these fancy new engineering things which really are quite brilliant means the bridge will survive a massive earthquake unscathed, it will be damaged but the measure is after a significant earthquake you would be able to still drive across it, even if you are only driving at 15 miles per hour. that is the standard of success. it will get damage but it should stand. >> the interesting thing i find in all of ou